Portillo, Chile (Tuesday, July 30, 2002) - Portillo, along with many South American resorts, is reveling in a bumper crop of Andean snow this season. The resort beamed today as they announced another 8 feet of fresh snow, bringing the season total thus far to a remarkable 28 feet since their first snowfall in June -- their best season tally in five years.

Adjacent to the Hotel Portillo, Inca Lake has frozen, expanding the options for off-piste terrain at the Chilean resort such as their Lake Run. Skiers and snowboarders who access this terrain return to the hotel by skating across the lake.

Another storm is predicted this week before the U.S. and Austrian national ski teams arrive this Monday, August 3, to continue their on-snow training at Portillo.